Valdresflya

Found time for a trip to Valdresflya, one of the better sites for mountain birds in southern norway. There was evidence of lemmings everywhere with some areas carpeted in droppings and a number of fresh(and uneaten) carcasses but not a single live animal. I believe that the population must have reached peak levels earlier in the spring and has now crashed with many individuals simply starving to death. Birds were also scarce with a few Golden Plovers already flocking which suggests a poor breeding season. 5 pairs of Ringed Plovers all acted as though they had young or a nest nearby and one pair with 2 small young went through the full reportoire of tricks to divert our attention including the broken wing act. Otherwise a pair of Redshank, Wheatear, a female Long-tailed Duck and Common Gulls completed a rather meagre bird list. Driving back to the cabin a Rough-legged Buzzard was a nice addition.